Singapore’s new prime minister to be sworn in, marking end of Lee dynasty

• US-trained economist Lawrence Wong is expected to succeed Lee Hsien Loong as Singapore’s fourth prime minister.
• Mr Wong’s rise follows a carefully planned political succession aimed at ensuring continuity and stability for Singapore.
• Mr Wong was elected by the ruling People’s Action Party following the resignation of his anointed successor, Mr Heng Swee Keat.

Singapore’s deputy leader Lawrence Wong will be sworn in as the country’s fourth prime minister on Wednesday in a carefully planned political succession to ensure continuity and stability in Asia’s financial hub.

Wong, 51, a US-trained economist, will replace Lee Hsien Loong, 72, who stepped down after 20 years at the helm. Mr Lee’s resignation marks the end of a family dynasty led by his father, Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s charismatic first leader, who built the colonial trading outpost into a prosperous and business-friendly nation during his 31-year tenure. showed that.

Mr Wong, a civil servant turned politician, gained attention as he orchestrated Singapore’s successful response to the coronavirus pandemic. But he was not the first choice for the top job.

Singapore Prime Minister resigns for the first time in 20 years, handing over power to deputy prime minister

Former central bank chief and education minister Heng Swee Keat was named as his successor, but withdrew his nomination in 2021. Wong was then selected by the ruling People’s Action Party to fill the vacant seat in 2022 and was quickly promoted to deputy prime minister.

“I will strive to be a strong, kind and decisive leader. And I will do my best to build a Singapore where everyone can reach their full potential,” Mr Wong said on social media earlier this month. said.

Mr Wong’s rise to the top has been meticulously orchestrated by the PAP, one of the world’s longest-ruling political parties and known for its clean and effective governance. It will not change the power relations in this small country of about 6 million people.

Mr Wong has kept his cabinet and finance portfolio in place as he prepares for his first big test in a general election, due by 2025 but widely expected to be held this year. Prior to his appointment, he promoted Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong to one of two deputy prime ministers. The other deputy is Mr. Heng.

Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister will remain as Deputy Minister, his successor talks

Lee will remain in office as a senior minister, a path followed by previous prime ministers.

Although electoral victory is assured, Mr Wong will have to pull off an even stronger victory after the PAP suffered setbacks in 2020 opinion polls due to growing voter dissatisfaction with the government.

Under the Lee government, Singapore became one of the world’s wealthiest countries, but also one of the most expensive cities to live in. The PAP has also been criticized for its strict government control and government-knows-best attitude, media censorship, and government attitude. the use of repressive laws against dissidents;

Issues such as widening income inequality, unaffordable housing, overcrowding due to immigration and restrictions on free speech have often been used as fodder by rebel groups to loosen the PAP’s grip on power.

“One-party rule in Singapore is weakening, but the challenge for the PAP leadership is to slow that process,” said Eugene Tan, a law professor at the Singapore Management University.

Southeast Asia political expert Bridget Welsh said Mr Lee “will be remembered for quietly and successfully steering Singapore through the 2008-2009 financial crisis and the turmoil caused by Covid-19. “He has contributed to building Singapore’s resilience…(but)” he said. Singapore has become a more complex society, with more open demands, making (for Mr Wong) the task of governing more difficult. ”

Ms Wong was born seven years after Singapore became independent from Malaysia in 1965. His father was an immigrant from China and his mother was a teacher. Unlike many of his senior PAP leaders, he did not have a privileged background. Observers say this could allow him to better connect with the public.

Mr. Wong won a scholarship to study in the United States and later earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University. He spent a number of years in public service, including serving as Mr Lee’s principal private secretary, with responsibility for the defence, education, communications, culture, community and youth portfolios before entering politics in 2011.

Like Lee, Wong is also active on social media. Married with no children, he hasn’t revealed much about his personal life, but he has hinted at his interests in music and dogs, and is a fan of tennis star Roger Federer. He often posts videos of himself playing the guitar.

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Mr Wong launched the Forward Singapore plan to ensure Singaporeans have a say in how we develop a more balanced, vibrant and inclusive agenda for the next generation. Although Mr. Wong often speaks in a monotone and may not seem charismatic, he is widely known as a trustworthy and approachable leader.

“We can expect his leadership to be more consultative…emphasizing the team concept and making his key lieutenants more prominent,” said Tan, the law professor.

Mr Tan said Mr Wong’s immediate priorities were to address issues such as the rising cost of living, housing affordability and job security. “Even though Singapore is a prosperous country, bread-and-butter issues remain important, partly because of Singapore’s inherent vulnerability,” he said.

On foreign policy, Tan said Wong needs to navigate the “power competition between the US and China, where Southeast Asia has become a proxy arena for competition.” He said Singapore, like some of its neighbors, had remained neutral but could later be forced to choose sides on various issues.